Casing head



May 28, 1935. M. r; ARCIY-IER CASING HEAD Original Filed April 22, 1931 P & INVENTOR Rama M n 1935 UNITED STATES I Re. 19,587

PATENT OFFICE assignments, to The National-Superior Company, Toledo, 'Ohio, a corporation of Delaware Original No.

Serial No. 531,908, April 22, 1931. for reissue November 10, 1934, Serial 1,887,865, dated November 15, 1932,

Application No.

Claims. (01. ass-2 2) My invention relates to casing heads for wells and more particularly to casing heads of the nesting'type.

One object of this invention is to provide in a casing head a series of nesting heads, each 'head having a shoulder for, supporting the next head above and carrying packing means to seal the Joint between itself and the said head supported thereby. Another object is to provide between each two heads a hold-down means to prevent excessive pressure within the well from displacing the heads from their normal seats. Other obiects appear hereinafter.

Referring to the accompanying drawing Fig. 1 shows a combined side elevation and central vertical section of a casing head involving my invention, the tubing being shown in side elevation and a portion of the lower head beingbroken away. Fig. 2 shows a fragment of one of the hold-down rings to illustrate its pivotal structure. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the lowest holddown ring.

On the drawing, I designates the base of the casing head which is to be anchored preferably on a concrete base in a manner well known in the art and therefore not illustrated. The base I is a metal ring having an internal horizontal shoulder 2 on which the head 3 rests. The head I is telescoped into the base I below the shoulder 2. The base I has an upstanding annular wall 4 spaced from'the outer wall of the head 3 to form a packing box which contains the packing rings 5 compressed by the gland 6 screwed into the inner face of the wall 4 and surrounding the head I. The gland has a numberof transverse openings I, in selected ones of which a lever may be inserted for causing the rotation of the gland. The inner face of the lower end of the head 3 is threaded to receive the casing 8.

The exterior surface of the head I has the annular groove I to receive the annular flange III carried by the hold-down ring I I which is screwed upon the exterior surface of the wall 4 for the purpose of clamping the head 3 tightly upon the shoulder I. The hold-down ring II is made up of lateral members I! secured together by bolts II. The ring has a number of lateral openings l to provide access of the said lever to the openings I.

. The head is provided above the groove 9 with one or more openings II in which pipes may be fitted to conduct away any fluid rising into this portion of the head. Abovethe opening II the inner face of the head 3 has near its upper end the annular shoulder Ii upon which'rests the second annular head It. The'head I6 is surrounded by the upper end of the head I and spaced therefrom above the shoulder ii to form a stuffing box containing the packing rings 11. I8 is an annular gland resting onthe packing rings I1 and adjustably connected to the top of the head 3 by screws I9.

is a hold-down ring made up. of sections pivoted together at ll. It rests upon the horizontal external annular-shoulder 22 on the-head It. The ring 20 surrounds the head I6 a short distance above the gland It and has the horizontal flange 28 connected to a similar flange 24 on the upper end of the head I by bolts 25. The bolts cause the ring 20 to hold the heads 3 and IS in rigid relationship.

The lower-inner face of the head II is'threaded to receive the tubing 26 which has a smaller diameter than the casing I and extends down through the same; The inner wall of the head It extends inwardly for a sumcient distance to provide an annular space 21 between the head 3 and the tubing 28 and between the casing 8 and the tubing 26.

The head It has one or more lateral openings 28 to receive any fluid that may rise into the head It through the tubing 20.

The inner face of the head It near its upper end is provided with the annular horizontal shoulder 29 upon which the annular head 3|! rests.

The upper end of the head It is spaced from the head II to provide a stumn'g box which receives the packing rings ll compressed by the annular gland I2 surrounding the head 30 and adjustably connected to the upper end of the head It by bolts 33. The outer face of the head 30 a short distance above the gland I! is provided with the annular external shoulder 34 on'which the holddown ring 35 rests. The horizontal flange 36 of the ring 35 is adiustably connected to the corresponding flange I! on the upper end of the head It by bolts 38. The packing ring 15 is made up of sections connected together by the pivot 39.

The inner face of the lower end of the head 3|! is threaded to receive the tubing 40. The inner wall of the head 30 extends inwardly within the head I6 sumcientiy to form the annular space ll between the head I. and the tubing 40 and also between the tubing 2 and the tubing II, the former extending down through the latter. The opening 28 is to be provided with a pipe for conducting away any fluid collecting in the annular space ll.

The upper end of the head 30 is flared and has a cap I! screwed upon its outer face. The inner 2 walllloithe upperendoitheheadllis vided withamnnberofslipsorkeyslLonly'one upward movement.

The inner face of them 42 above the ring It is provided with an internal annular horizontal upper end 01' the cap 42 and the tubing I. I2 isaglandorringrestingupontheupperendsot the packing rings,the gland being adjusted by'the screw cap 53 surrounding the tubing 4' and threaded upon the exterior surface or the cap 42.

Thesliptypeoitubingheadshownabovethe opening 41 has been included to show the entire assembly complete, but forms no part or the present invention.

It is evident that my invention is not limited tothenumber oiheadsshownasotherheadslike the head It may be interposed between my two consecutive heads.

The internal walls at the intermediate portions of the heads I and ,II are provided with threads" and ii to which nipples or short lengths 01' pipe may be temporariLv connected for attachment of a power hoisting device whereby the heads with their attached .tubes may be lowered into'the positions shown.

The hold-down rings are made intwo le partssothat they maycloselysurroundtheheads which are larger aboveand below the same. 7

I claim: g

1.Inacasinghead,apluralityoi'annular superposed heads, each head having an internal shoulder on which the next head above rests, a stufllng box surrounding each upper head above the shoulder upon which the upper head rests, packing within each stufling box, an annular gland resting on each packing, and adjustable means connecting each head and its associated gland for varying the com 01' the packing.

2. In a casing head, a plurality of annular superposed heads, each head having an internal shoulder on which the next head above rests, a stuiilng box surrounding each upper head above the shoulder upon which the upper head rests,

\ packing within box, an annular gland resting on each packing, and adjustable. means connecting each head and its ted gland for varying the com of the packing, in combination with a well-tube threaded to the lower end 01' each head. each headhaving a smaller'diameter than the next lower head whereby the tubes may extend downwardly in concentric relationship.

3.In a a superposedheads,'each shoulder on which the next head above rests,

a stufling box surrounding each upper head above the shoulder upon-which the upper head rests, packingwithineachstuiiingboameansioradjustably compressing the packing, and a second-meanstor retainingachupperheadupon the shoulder on which .it rests.

4.Inacasinghead,apluralityoiannular superposed heads,.each head having an internal shoulder on which the next head above rests, astumngboxsurroundingeachupperheadabove the shoulder upon which the upper head rests, packing within eachstufling box, an annular gland resting on each packing, adjustable means connecting each head and its associated gland for varying the compression oi the packing, a hold-down ring surrounding each head and supportedtherebyandprovidedwifliaflangqa flangeoneachhead,theflangeslyingtransversely ot'the heads, the adjustable means for the gland i'oreachheadbeingbetweenthe pair 01- flangesoneachheadandonthenextringabove the same, and bolts connecting, each pair of g flanges and standing radially beyond the said adjustableme'ans whereby access maybe had to the adjustable means for operating the same.

5.Inacasinghead,'alowerheadhavingan annular internal shoulder, an upper headseatedontheshoulder,apackingringbetween the heads and above the shoulder, an annularglandsurmundingtheupperhesdandrestingonthepackingring,meanaconnectedtothe lower head for adjusting the'packing ring, a

hold-down ring supported by the upper head and surrounding the same and overhanging the gland, and bolts connecting the lower-head and the hold-down ring on tbesaid shoulder and the two heads into a rigid unit.

8.Inacasinghead,alowerheadhavingan annular transverse internal shoulder, an upper head seated on the shoulder, a packing ring between the heads and above the shoulder, an anthe ring and the lower head for clamping the upper head to the said shoulder.

7. In-acasingheadthecombinationotabody member provided with an annular transverse internalshoulder,asecondmemberseatedonsaid shoulder and arranged'to support an inner string oicasing,apacklngringbetweenthesetwomembers and above the shoulder, an annular gland surrounding the second member and bearing on the packing ring, means for adjusting the packing ring, and hold down means for retaining the seccndmembcrinplaceonthebodymember both of said means being independently accessible and adjustable with respect to one another.

8. Inacasinghead,thecombinationofabody member provided with an annular transverse internal shoulder, a second member'seated on said shoulder, a packing ring between the memsaid last named means with the body member 'toretaintheseeondmemberinplaceonthebody member.

9. Inacasingheadassembly,the ofabodymemberhavingab'oretherethrough. meansforsecuringthebodymembertoacasing.a second member having a lateral vent supported on thebody'member andarrangedto supportan innerstringofcasingdependlngtherefrommeans defining apackinggroovebetweensaidmembers, packingmeansinsaidsroove, follower means extending above thebodymemberandaroundthe second member and includins pressure applying meanstoexpandthepackingmeanstoforma pressure tight seal between said members, and releasable means independent of the pressure applying means to anchor the second member immovable relativetothebody.

l0. Inacasingheadassembmthecombination ofabodymemberhavingaboretherethrough. meansfm'securingthebodymembertoacasins. aseeond member havingalateral vent supported onthebodymemberandarrangedtosupporta string of easing depending therefrom, packing meansincontactwiththeboreofthebodyand theouter periphery of the second member, afollowermeans operatively associated withthepackingmeans.releasablemeanstoanchorthesecond memberimmovablerelativetotbebodmand meansaccemiblewiththelastsaidmeansinpositiontosdjustthepoeitionofthefollowermeans with relationtothepackingmeans. 1

ii. In a multi-stase type casing head, a pluralityof memberseachmemberliivported within the next adjacent lower member and arranged to support a string of easing depending therefrom, releasable means to anchor said members tosether, packing means between said members and above the point of support thereof, follower means for said packing means, and applyiugmeanstoadiusttheposipressure tion ofsaid follower meanstoexpand said packmeansbeingac-- ingmeans,said

prmsure cessible with the releasable anchoring means in operative position.

I2.Inacasinghead.theeombinationofabody member having a bore therethrough and pro-,

videdwithmeansforncuringsaidbodymembertoanouterstringofcasinmasecondmember molmted on the body member and secured thereto, means for suspending the intermediate casing from said second member, packing between said membersandabovethemwnting ofthesecond member, a follower member to compress the packing, means independent of the securing arrange-" ment between the members to adjust the follower means.andmeanscntheupperinteriorofthe' second member for the inner casing therefrom 13. In a casing head, the combination of a. body member having a bore therethrough and provided with means for securing said body member to an outer string of easing. a second member mounted on the body'member and secured thereto, means for suspending the intermediate casing from said second member,. packing between said members and above the mounting of the second member, a follower member to compress the packing, means independent of the securing arrangement between the members to adjust the follower means, and means comprising a conlcal'interior surface of said second member andslipsengasinlthesameforsuspendingthe inner casing'from the second member.

14. In a multi-stase type casing head, a plurality of superposed members, said members being inserted in part one within the other, releasable means to anchor said members together, packingmanstosealeachofthejointsdeflnedbetweentheboreofonememberandtheinserted portion of the adJaunt member, follower means for said packing means. and pressure applying means to adjust the position of said follower meanstoexpandsaidpackingmeanasaid pressureapplyinsmeansbeingaccessiblewlththe anchoring means in operative position.

15. In a casing head the combination of an outer member having a bore. an inner member arranged to be supported within said here, and arransedtosupportastringoftubinmmeansforpreventing relative movement between the members, sealing means between the outer and inner members and above the point of support of the latter to be accessible independently of the first mentioned means.

I MER'I'ON T. ARCHER. 

